Laptop purchase / return situation

[SKL]

So I ordered laptops for my two 9yos, in their favorite colors (purple and blue), and they arrived yesterday.  The kids say it's the best gift they ever received in their lives.  Each laptop was supposed to include a year of Office 365 (retail value $70).  I was working, so I let the kids pull the laptops out and start setting them up.  Later I realized only one of them had come with an activation card for Office 365.  We think it came with the purple computer, so we installed it on the purple computer.

 

I sent to Amazon asking for another activation card.  Amazon says contact the seller.

I ask the seller for another activation card.  They say return the purple computer.  They say they don't have just an activation card.

 

I don't want to return the purple computer.  It has the software on it.  I guess we could try to uninstall it and move it to the blue computer - if that would work - but I am not sure it would work.

 

I don't want to return the blue computer either.  It was the last blue computer they had, and it was discontinued.  My kid will be upset if she has to give it back.

 

I could just buy the software off the internet, but then I'm out $70.  Maybe I could ask for a refund for the $70 and keep the computers?  I don't know if they would do it.

 

Ugh.  Why can't anything be easy?

[happypamama]

I'd explain the situation to Amazon, and hopefully they will find a way to make it right.  

 

Ugh, so sorry you're dealing with that!

[Lanny]

You can ask the Seller for a partial refund, or, you can return the box that didn't come with Office 365.  My wife bought a mini laptop for DIL last August, that she can carry around in her backpack all day. My wife also bought a Microsoft box with Office 365 and a one year license for up to 3      PCs.  It was installed on 2 PCs. Then, a few months ago, DD tried to install Office 365 on the laptop she is using now. She could not install Office 365, because the box was produced in 2015 or something.  GL with Office 365!    My DD is now using LibreOffice (free and legal) and an Online version of Microsoft Office. If the Amazon Marketplace Seller gives you a Partial refund for Office 365, I assume it would be much less than the Retail cost of the Software alone, if you buy it in a store or on eBay or somewhere.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Lanny

[Lanny]

@SKL    I think it is great that your DC will begin learning how to use Office Applications. By the time they get to Middle School, they will be experienced users and possibly they will be "experts".  As time goes on, you may want to do what DD (a High School student) is doing now. She is using 2 Free Suites: The first is LibreOffice which is a full blown Office Suite that you can download and legally install on as many boxes as you want to. The other is the limited version of Microsoft Office that is available Online and is free.  Previously, DD had been using a Desktop PC we ordered for her in October 2012, that came with a limited version of Microsoft Office on it.

 

OT: You may want to look into buying an External USB Hard Disk Drive (we bought 2 of them last year, both made by Western Digital).  I use them to make Disk Images of the Hard Disk Drives with "Clonezilla Live".  If there is a hard disk crash, or corruption, hopefully one can restore to the latest Disk Image they made and get up and running quickly.

 

I told my wife about your post. There is no disagreement in our house. We will not be paying for Microsoft Office 365 again.   

Edited June 4, 2016 by Lanny

[SKL]

Lanny, do those free online downloads include Power Point, Word, and Excel?

 

I should check the software I bought for my work computer - maybe it is allowed to be used on more than one PC.  I know some of them were, not sure about Office.

[Caroline]

You might check to see if the school has an Office 365 license. Our school system offers it to all students in the system.

[Lanny]

Lanny, do those free online downloads include Power Point, Word, and Excel?

 

I should check the software I bought for my work computer - maybe it is allowed to be used on more than one PC.  I know some of them were, not sure about Office.

 

Equivalent Applications, with different names, in LibreOffice.  You can save the files in the LibreOffice format or in Microsoft file formats. If you save the files in Microsoft formats (.docx etc.) then someone using Microsoft Office can open the files OK.  Or, if someone sends you files they made with Microsoft Office, you can open them OK with LibreOffice. 

 

If you are employed by a large company, possibly they have a deal with Microsoft, where you can buy Office 365 or another version of Office, at a huge discount?  I believe there have been references to that here on WTM, within the past few months. 

 

Normally, Software is licensed to one computer, but we have been using a Utility Suite /Anti Virus (Advanced System Care Ultimate by IOBit) for years and their license permits up to 3 boxes.  So, check out the license for your work computer and see if it limits you to one installation or permits more than 1.